Rock climbing is an increasingly popular sport in the United States. From new indoor climbing gyms popping up across the country to gear shops exceeding their sale numbers for popular climbing gear, it’s safe to say this sport has captured the interest of recreation enthusiasts. 

“Climbing is a unique and incredible sport that challenges people both mentally and physically,” said Gianna Aveni, owner of Blue Granite Climbing Gym in South Lake Tahoe. “Climbers can gain self-confidence, find a fun way to exercise and lay the groundwork for a healthy lifestyle, be a part of a social group, or find valuable time for introspection. It’s a versatile sport with so much to offer different people.” 

Despite the popularity of this sport, it’s not always the most accessible. High costs for gym memberships and equipment can be preventative barriers to climbing, especially for underserved communities. 

Although the Tahoe Fund is focused on expanding access and inclusion in outdoor recreation, we recognize that new sports are often easier and safer to learn indoors. That’s why, with the support of our Stewardship Circle donors, we funded a new indoor climbing program for the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe. 

“Climbing is a fantastic sport and easily available in Tahoe, but if no one in your family or friendship circle climbs, it can be a really hard activity to get into,” said Jude Wood, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe. “Being able to offer a climbing program this summer and providing access to kids who normally wouldn’t have the opportunity was incredible.” 

Every Friday during the summer, two groups of twelve kids headed over to Blue Granite Climbing Gym for hands-on instruction from climbing coaches. After mastering the basics, many of the kids were able to quickly progress and looked forward to returning each week to learn something new. 

One female member shared that although she was initially cautious, she quickly grew to love the new sport. “I had never climbed before and I really enjoyed it,” she said. “It was my favorite activity this summer.” Another participant expressed enthusiasm for his favorite activities in the program, saying: “I really like bouldering and doing the obstacle courses.”

This new program was also part of Blue Granite’s Community Climbing Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to remove barriers to climbing, broaden accessibility to the sport, promote and celebrate inclusivity, and provide under-resourced youth and under-represented populations the opportunity to experience rock climbing.

“We are so grateful to the Tahoe Fund and Blue Granite for this experience,” said Wood. “ We hope that we can continue to partner together to get more local kids into climbing.”

Starting today, divers will begin removing aquatic invasive plants in Emerald Bay, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) announced today. Control of this one and a half-acre Eurasian watermilfoil infestation in the iconic location will help protect the region’s ecosystem and water quality.

“Thanks to a coordinated and collaborative effort, when invasive plants were discovered in Emerald Bay last fall, TRPA and Tahoe Resource Conservation District were able to quickly mobilize to secure permits, funding, and contractors to attack this infestation before it grows out of control,” said TRPA’s aquatic invasive species program manager Dennis Zabaglo.

The Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) highlights the control of aquatic invasive species as a top priority for regional watershed health. A decade ago, EIP partners treated 6 acres in Emerald Bay for aquatic weeds and declared it weed-free. Now, annual surveillance efforts by contract scuba divers and the CA State Parks dive team help detect any invasive aquatic weeds and trigger removal efforts to prevent species like Eurasian watermilfoil from establishing in the bay.

“This popular area attracts boaters from around the lake, and the underwater California State Park is under constant threat of reintroduction,” said Courtney Rowe, Senior Environmental Scientist with California State Parks. “When boats bring fragments of Eurasian watermilfoil from other parts of the lake, they can quickly become an infestation without ongoing monitoring and response.”

Aquatic invasive plant infestations threaten water quality, aquatic ecosystems, and recreation. Once established, they are more complicated and resource-intensive to remove, making expedient action crucial for success.

Critical funding from the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act and Tahoe Fund has made it possible to quickly address this infestation.

“Lake clarity is at the center of what makes Tahoe iconic, and improving this famed clarity is a major priority for the Tahoe Fund,” said Amy Berry, CEO of the Tahoe Fund. “We were pleased to provide $50,000 for the removal of these weeds in Emerald Bay and will continue to support aquatic invasive species removal efforts that positively impact the health of our lake.” 

Divers will be suctioning and hand pulling these weeds in various locations around Emerald Bay from Monday, September 11 through Friday, September 15. Agencies remind boaters to respect the 5 mph no wake zone and be mindful of contractors for everyone’s safety.

Learn more about the project at https://eip.laketahoeinfo.org/Project/FactSheet/01.03.01.0025

Construction of the new 2.3-mile Tunnel Creek Singletrack Trail is now underway, thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Tahoe Fund, a Recreation Trails Program grant from Nevada State Parks, and trail-building efforts by Great Basin Institute and the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA). This new trail will reduce conflicts between hikers and bikers on the busy Tunnel Creek Road, which is a popular route to and from Monkey Rock, Marlette Flume Trail, Incline Flume Trail, and the Tahoe Rim Trail.

“This trail will provide new opportunities for sustainable recreation in the Tahoe Basin and make the experience better and safer for two very different user groups,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “We are thankful to all of our donors for helping us raise the funds necessary to make this trail a reality, and to our great partners at Nevada State Parks, Great Basin Institute, and TAMBA for their hard work to build it.”

The trail will be constructed to the International Mountain Biking Association’s green classification with grades of less than 15% and an average of 8%. Trail users can expect to see trail crews and equipment on Tunnel Creek Road this season, as crews begin the work of trail alignment and installation of at least one bridge.

“The Nevada Division of State Parks is excited to improve the experience for park visitors. It is a long-standing goal of the division to provide safer and sustainable recreation within Spooner Lake and Backcountry State Park, and this project will be an asset for many years to come,” said Kevin Fromherz, Conservation Staff Specialist, Nevada Tahoe Resource Team, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “We would like to thank the Tahoe Fund, Great Basin Institute, Tahoe Area Mountain Bike Association, Nevada Tahoe Resource Team, Flume Trail Bikes, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Tunnel Creek Lodge, and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Environmental Improvement Program for their hard work in planning and permitting this project. We are excited to see construction begin.”   

The Great Basin Institute, with support from the Nevada Conservation Corps program, TAMBA, Nevada State Parks, Flume Trail Bikes, Nevada Tahoe Resource Team, and the Tunnel Creek Lodge, secured a $72,265 grant from Nevada State Parks through the Recreation Trails Program for the first phase of trail construction. 

Learn more about the project at https://www.tahoefund.org/projects/active-projects/tunnel-creek-singletrack/.